Automatic switching device for phonographs



Jan. 1, 1935.

A W, NIEMANN AUTOMATIC SWITCHING DEVICE FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Jan. 13,1935 wwkkiiiu RADIO 22 lNl/ENTOR A .W. N/EMA NN ATTORNEY Patented Jan.1, 1935 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC SWITCHING DEVICE FORPHONOGRAPHS Arthur W. Niemann, New York, N. Y., assignor to BellTelephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofNew York Application January 13, 1933, Serial No. 651,485

5 Claims. (Cl. 179-10011) This invention relates to automatic switching20, and a loudspeaker 21 all operatively connected devices andparticularly to those used in phonotogether as hereinafter to bedescribed. No turn- ,graphs which are combinedwith other similar tabledrive and recorder feed mechanism are devices such as electricalrecorders. shown since they form no part of this invention -5 Thegeneral purpose in combining various and may take any of the well knownforms.

similar types of apparatus is the economy ef- In Fig. 2 the microphone19 and a radio 22 i'ected by the elimination of duplicate parts. areshown connected to a switch 23 operable by This economy is frequentlyoffset by the addimeans of knob 24. This provides a means for tionalcare and work required to condition the recording a radio program, astudio program or apparatus for one or another of the uses availacombination of the two as desired. When the 10 able. In the case of acombined electrical reknob 33 is in the M position, the circuit througheorder and reproducer it is possible to use the the lower contact 24 ofthe switch is completed same amplifier for both the recorder and reandthe circuit to the radio 22 is broken. When producer, but to effect thechange from the rethe knob is in the R position, the circuit through incorder to the reproducer it is necessary to disthe middle contact 25 tothe radio 22 is comconnect the recorder and microphone from the pletedand that through the microphone 19 is amplifier and to connect insteadthe reproducer broken. In the RM position, the circuit through andloudspeaker. This normally requires four the radio 22 is continued andthe microphone switching operations and failure to perform any 19 isadded through contact 26.

one of the four renders the apparatus inopera- Referring again to Fig.1, one lead of the in- 20 tive as a whole. put to the amplifier 20 isconnected to the upper The object of this invention is to provideauprong 27 of switch 18 and the other lead is contomatlc switching meansfor a combined recorder nected to reproducer 12 and a source of soundand reproducer which is operable by a necessary controlled electricalcurrents such as the micromechanical motion of either the recorder orrephone 19. The output leads of the amplifier 20 25 producer whereby theone is automatically made are connected one to the lower prong 28 of theinoperative while the other is operative and vice switch 18 and theother to the recorder 15 and verse. loudspeaker 21. The lower middlecontact 29 A preferred form of this invention comprises a and the bottomcontact 30 are connected to the 30 plunger-type switch, the upper end ofwhich is free leads of the reproducer 12 and loudspeaker 30 shaped tosupport the arm of a recorder or re- 21, respectively, so that whenplunger 17 is deproducer. The weight of the idle recorder or repressed,the circuit through the reproducer, amproducer resting on the plunger isused to operplifier and loudspeaker is complete to form a ate theplunger to perform the desired switching reproducing phonograph. The topcontact 31 operations. and lower middle contact 32 of switch 18 are 35 Abetter understanding of the invention may connected to the free leads ofthe source of be had by reference to the accompanying drawsoundcontrolled electrical currents 19 and reing in which: corder 15,respectively, so that when plunger 17 Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram ofthe switch and is raised, the circuit is complete for a recording wiringthereto; and phonograph. 40

Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram of an alternative The operation of the switchrequires no attensource of sound to be recorded, which is contion on thepart of the operator. As shown in trolled by a selector switch locatedeither on the Fig. 1, the apparatus is conditioned for operationbaseboard of the machine or on a suitable conas a reproducingphonograph. The recorder 15 trol panel. is placed on its rest 16, whichby the weight of 45 More particularly, in Fig. 1, 10 is a record therecorder is depressed to operate the switch mounted on a rotatablesupport 11 and cooper- 18 and to connect the reproducer 12 and loudatingwith an electric reproducer 12. The reprospeaker 21 to the amplifier 20.When it is deducer 12 is pivotally mounted upon a base 13 sired to usethe machine as a recorder, the rewhich also supports a reproducer rest14, a pivproducer 12 is placed upon its rest 14 and the 50 oted recorder15 and a novel recorder rest 16. recorder 15 is placed over the recordsupport 11. The rest 16 is secured to a plunger 17, the lower Thelifting of recorder 15 from the rest 16 reend of which actuates theprongs of a switch 18. lieves plunger 1'7 of its load and it accordinglyThe remainder of the apparatus shown in this springs upward under theaction of prongs 27 figure consists of a microphone 19, an amplifier and28. If necessary, aspecial spring, not shown, 55

may be provided to assist the prongs. The upward movement of the prongsdisconnects the reproducer and loudspeaker from the amplifier andconnects in the source of sound controlled electrical currents 19 andrecorder 15 instead. The apparatus then remains so conditioned as longas .the plunger 17 is in its raised position. When the recording iscompleted, the recorder may be placed upon its rest 16 which actionagain operates the plunger to condition the apparatus recording, theswitch may be operated by hand simply by exerting a slight pressure onthe rest 16. It is also possible to use the motion of the reproducer toperform the switching operation by incorporating the switch in thereproducer i rest instead of in the recorder rest. In thiscase it wouldmerely be necessary to interchange the recording and reproducingconnections to the switch 18. The apparatus, however, and its principleof operation would remain substantially unchanged.

Although the recorder and reproducer shown are of the pivoted type,cooperating with a disc record, this invention is applicable to otherforms of combined phonographic devices as well and is to be limited onlyby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a combined electrical recording and reproducing phonographcomprising reproducing and recording apparatus including a recorder, anda common amplifier, unitary switching means for associating theamplifier with the apparatus to be used, said switching means comprisinga support for the recorder cooperating with a plunger-type switch whichis operable by the weight of the recorder.

2. In a combined recording and reproducing machine comprising arotatable support, a recorder and reprcducer adapted to cooperate withthe rotatable support, an amplifier, a microphone, a loudspeaker, apivoted arm fonthe recorder and switching means 'operable by the 'armfor connecting the amplifier and loudspeaker to the reprcducer when therecorder is not in use and for disconnecting the amplifier from thereproducer and loudspeaker and connecting it to the microphone andrecorder when the recorder is in use. a

3. In combination, a recorder, a reproducer, a common amplifier, amicrophone associated with the recorder, a loudspeaker associated withthe reproducer, a rest for the recorder comprising a plunger-type switchoperable by the weight of the recorder, said switch serving todisconnect the recorder and microphone from the amplifier when therecorder is placed upon the rest and to connect the reproducer andloudspeaker to the amplifier with the same motion..

4. In combined electrical recording and reproducing machine, a recorder,a reproducer, a common amplifier, a microphone associated with therecorder, a loudspeaker associated with the recorder, a loudspeakerassociated with the reproducer, a rest for the reproducer, said restcomprising a plunger-type switch operable by the weight of thereproducer, said switch serving to disconnect the reproducerandloudspeaker from the amplifier when the reproducer is placed on therest and to connect-the recorder and microphone to the amplifier withthe same motion.

5. In combination a plurality of translating devices, individual pivotedsupporting means for the translating devices, a common amplifienlandunitary switching means operable by theweight of one or" the translatingdevices for disconnect- .ing said translating device from the amplifierand connecting to the amplifier one or more 0 the remaining translatingdevices. ARTHUR W. NIEMANN.

